On Wed, 13 Mar 2002, Paul Sand wrote:

> For me the key is macronutritions composition. With high protein intake I
> can get away with very high calories intake and stay lean. When a while ago
> I tried low protein, low carbs  high fat diet for a while (80% calories from
> fat) despite rather low calories intake I gained fat. When I increased both
> calories, protein and carbs I get back to shape very quickly. Now I eat
> around 20-25 calories per pound and stay within 8-9% of bodyfat. Even if I
> don't have time to work-out my weight stays stable.
> But I've never had any seriouse problems with being obese and the only time
> when I started to accumulated fat was while being on typical mainstream
> bodybuilding diet a few years ago.

There may be some real genetic differences here.  On the one
hand, it makes sense that higher protein intake would have this
effect, since the utilization of protein for energy is
inefficient.  Although protein is officially counted as 4
kcal/gram, like carbohyrate, the conversion is inefficient enough
that the actual yield is more like 2.3 kcal/g, at least according
to some sources.  On the other hand, some of us seem to pump out
more insulin in response to protein, which makes a high-protein
diet similar in effect to a high-carb diet.

I may be in the latter category.  I have tried every possible
variation of macronutrients (with strength training) and I have
*never* gotten below 15% body fat, and just maintaining 15% is
quite difficult -- I really can't do it for long.  Possibly
adding large amounts of aerobics would do it, but that's even
harder than dieting.  My goal -- a modest one, I think -- is 12%
body fat.  I've never reached it yet.

Todd Moody
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